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boxing.

It’s not much more than a little box. But if you give it to the right person, it’s magic.

I was all set for The Wife’s birthday last weekend, but illness (mine) and dreadful work schedules (The Wife’s) kept us from celebrating on Monday, the actual day. That gave me the time to follow up on an indirect suggestion is a Plurk conversation Sunday night (thanks, ClumberKim!).

Somewhere in the back of my brain I was aware of the power of a blue box from Tiffany and Co., I think because I’ve seen my father turn my mother into a babbling wreck when he’s given her one. I didn’t know if it would hold the same power over The Wife, but I thought it would be fun to find out. So after calling off work on Monday — and taking a looooong nap so I felt well enough to leave the house — I headed off to Ross Park Mall to find the new store.

While there, I learned a couple of things: 1) Tiffany employees are trained to properly tie that ribbon, and 2) Guys? Want to get noticed by women? Try walking through a crowded mall while holding a little blue bag from Tiffany. That bag does not escape their attention.

I wrapped the blue box in another box to double the surprise, and waited for her arrival on Monday night. As I said before, a bunch of things conspired to keep us from celebrating her birthday until last night.

The box? As magical as I was led to believe.

The Wife prides herself on being collected at all times, so it can be difficult to surprise her to the point where she seems surprised. But she gasped when she pulled the tissue paper aside and saw the box. She gasped again when she opened the blue pouch inside the blue box and found her birthday Venitian Link bracelet.

She hasn’t taken the bracelet off since. And I think she’s keeping the box.

I’m working my way through the Paloma Picasso Loving Heart collection –

I do have to warn you of one thing, though – you will now receive more mail than you can believe from the blue box store – so much that it seems at times they spend more on direct mailings than we spend in the store.